The following lists events that happened during 1876 in Australia.
Incumbents
Governors Governors of the Australian colonies: Governor of New South Wales – Hercules Robinson, 1st Baron Rosmead Governor of Queensland – Sir William Cairns Governor of South Australia – Sir Anthony Musgrave Governor of Tasmania – Frederick Weld Governor of Victoria – Sir George Bowen Governor of Western Australia – Sir William Robinson GCMG.
Premiers Premiers of the Australian colonies: Premier of New South Wales – John Robertson Premier of Queensland – Arthur Macalister until 5 June, then George Thorn Premier of South Australia – James Boucaut until 6 June, then John Colton Premier of Tasmania – Alfred Kennerley until 20 July, then Thomas Reibey Premier of Victoria – James McCulloch
Events 16 February – The community of Bowen was struck by an F5 tornado that caused £7000 of damage, injured numerous people and had one confirmed casualty. 20 February – Submarine cable between New South Wales and New Zealand completed. 21 March – J.V. Mulligan finds gold deposits in the Hodgkinson River in Queensland. 28 March – Classes commence at the University of Adelaide. 18 March – Luigi d'Albertis leaves Australia to explore New Guinea. 18–19 April – Catalpa rescue; Rescue team sent from New Bedford, Massachusetts, USA by John Devoy, rescues six escaped Fenian prisoners from Fremantle, Western Australia 5 June – George Thorn becomes Premier of Queensland. 6 June – John Colton becomes Premier of South Australia. 5 July – The completion of a railway bridge across the Brisbane River links Brisbane and Ipswich, Queensland. 20 July – Thomas Reibey becomes Premier of Tasmania 11 September – SS Dandenong sinks; 40 lives are lost. 7 November – The Melbourne Cup is run for the first time on the first Tuesday of November 27 November – Legislation is enacted in Queensland creating the first public fire service in Australia. 1 December – SS Georgette runs aground near Busselton, Western Australia; Grace Bussell and Sam Isaacs help to rescue the passengers.
Arts and literature
Births 9 May – Oliver Uppill 7 September – C. J. Dennis 10 September – Hugh D. McIntosh 18 September – James Scullin 23 September – Cyril Brudenell White 24 September – Arthur Hennessy 4 October – Hugh McCrae 24 November – Walter Burley Griffin 21 December – J. T. Lang
Unknown date
Ambrose Dyson, also known as Amb Dyson, illustrator and political cartoonist (died 1913)
Deaths 22 January – George Dalrymple 8 March – Truganini 5 April – William Spain, first New South Wales Inspector-General of Police 24 May – Henry Kingsley 10 June – Kenneth Brown, an explorer and pastoralist in Western Australia. He was hanged in 1876 for murdering his second wife Mary Ann Brown. 29 August – John Skinner Prout
References